1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to the field of medical equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of medical equipment used in surgical operations.
2. Description of The Prior Art
Various devices used for assisting a surgeon during a surgery are known in the prior art. However, there is no prior art mechanical equipment which can be used to hold, maneuver and maintain a patient's leg in a specific position. Currently, when a surgeon is performing orthopedic surgery, e.g. knee surgery, the patient's lower extremity is held, maneuvered and maintained in a specific position by an assistant surgeon. One of the disadvantages in using an assistant surgeon is that it is not cost effective and the insurers or the patient have to pay the assistant surgeon in assisting in the surgical operation, an amount equal to 25% of the surgeon's fee. Another disadvantage is that during surgery, an assistant surgeon may not be able to maintain the leg's position as steadily as required by the surgeon and repeated readjustment may become necessary. In addition, an assistant surgeon is normally a practicing surgeon who is too busy with his own medical practice schedule. It is quite often difficult to find an appropriate time slot in the surgeon's weekly schedule, to schedule a surgery with them.
The inventors objective is to eliminate the assistant surgeon during surgery and provide an apparatus which can be easily operated to achieve high accuracy in holding, maneuvering and maintaining a patient's body part during orthopedic surgery.
The following six (6) prior art patents were uncovered in the pertinent field of the present invention.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,918 issued to Guhl on Nov. 12, 1991 for "Multi-Mode Distraction System For Ankle Arthroscopy" (hereafter "the Guhl Patent").
2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,340 issued to Krenkel et al. on May 12, 1992 for "Fixation Device With Frame Members And Pins" (hereafter "the Krenkel Patent").
3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,349 issued to Krag et al. on Jun. 15, 1993 for "Spinal Fixation Reduction Frame" (hereafter "the Krag Patent").
4. Soviet Patent No. 1,149,959 for "Bone Fragment Repositioning And Fixation Device--Motion Screws Bear Rotating Plates And Brackets Joined By Links To The Rotating Plates" (hereafter "the '959 Soviet Patent").
5. Soviet Patent No. 1,205,903 for "Femur And Humerus Periarticular Fracture Treatment Apparatus--Ring And Support Surfaces Are Set Parallel And Coaxially" (hereafter "the '903 Soviet Patent").
6. Soviet Patent No. 1,512,585 for "Ankle Joint Working Apparatus--With Toothed Wheel With Diametral Pin Attachment Projections And Worm With Flywheel" (hereafter "the '585 Soviet Patent").
The Guhl Patent discloses a multi-mode distraction system for ankle arthroscopy. The system includes an appropriate means for supporting the patient in a generally supine position and for adjustably supporting the patient's leg posteriorly of the knee joint in a manner to maintain the leg in a flexed position between slightly flexed and acutely flexed (e.g. a conventional gynecological or urological leg holder). The system includes non-invasive distraction means which are attached by opposite ends to the foot of the patient and the patient support means to provide a selectively variable tensile force on the ankle joint which is sufficient to provide an initial level of ankle joint distraction. The system also includes skeletal distraction means which includes a proximal end adapted to be pinned to the lower tibia and a distal end adapted to be attached to the heel bone to provide a selectively variable tensile force on the ankle joint sufficient to provide a greater level of ankle joint distraction force than the non-invasive means. The system also permits progression to heavy bilateral skeletal distraction.
The Krenkel Patent discloses a fixation device with frame members and pins. It includes a frame with three feet which can be mounted on pins anchored in the skeleton. The pins, which serve to fix the frame are designed as Kirschner's wires with ball ends. The ball end makes it possible to mount the hollow ends of the feet of the frame in different directions. The Kirschner's wire design allows the pins to be screwed into the bones due to the boring end that is typical for such wires.
The Krag Patent discloses an internal spinal fixation reduction frame. The Krag's device is for producing realignment of vertebrae affected by various spinal disorders, including fractures and dislocation. It includes three assemblies: two T-handles; a lower-rod assembly; and an upper-rod assembly. The reduction frame is secured to shaft handles extending from the pedicle screws of a Vermont Spinal Fixator type implant. Shaft clamps secure to the two T-handles to the shaft handles. The lower-rod assembly joins to the opposite T-frames by lower-rod clamps. The upper-rod assembly is also provided on the T-handles to produce rotation of the T-handles by changing the distance between the upper ends of the T-handles. Finger grips are provided on the upper-rod assembly to allow the surgeon to easily use one hand to either apply or monitor the force acting along the upper-rod.
The '959 Soviet Patent discloses a bone fragment repositioning and fixation device. The '959 Soviet's device assures the elimination of angle displacements in the sagittal and horizontal planes. It includes a base and carriages linked to motion screws on which two yokes are mounted with the possibility of motion in the horizontal, frontal and sagittal planes.
The '903 Soviet Patent discloses a femur and humerus periarticular fracture treatment apparatus. The Soviet's device allows for three dimensional joint head repositioning. It includes a ring with guides, runners and a support surface with coaxial screws. The runners are linked to the coaxial screws. Projecting plates are arranged round the ring and hinged to it so that their angle of slant can be changed. The '903 Soviet Patent is an external device that can maneuver the segment of the head to position and alignment with the distal segment of the neck of the femur.
The '585 Soviet Patent discloses an ankle joint working apparatus. The Soviet's device eliminates adduction and rotation of the front part of the foot. It includes a toothed wheel having diametral projections for the attachment of pins and a worm with a flywheel which is mounted on a closing yoke of the foot. The '585 Soviet Patent sends pins through the bone and connects the ends of the pins together.
None of these prior art patents have disclosed an orthopedic apparatus which is designed and constructed for mechanically holding, maneuvering and maintaining a body part of a patient during an orthopedic surgery, so that a surgeon can perform the orthopedic surgery without an assistant surgeon. It is highly desirable to have a very efficient and also very effective design and construction of an orthopedic apparatus for mechanically holding, maneuvering and maintaining a body part of a patient during orthopedic surgery, thereby eliminating the assistant surgeon from the surgical operation. It is desirable to provide an apparatus with the capability of rapidly changing the angle of the patient's leg during surgery. It is also desirable to provide an apparatus that is flexible enough to allow repositioning of the limb and the joint during the surgical procedure to provide optimum access to all of the available surgical entrant locations in a much more efficient way.